Edgefield County, SC

County Name: 
Edgefield
State: 
South Carolina

Total population (1850): 39,262
Enslaved population (1850): 22,725
Percent slave: 58%
Extant nineteenth-century inquests: 524
Date range: 1829-1899
Percentage of violent crimes in county sample: 39% (202/524)

The small, rural district of Edgefield, South Carolina was the Deadwood of its day, amassing a reputation for murder and mayhem unique in the nation. Forget the gangs of New York, the toughs in tailored suits strutting about Edgefield's Court House Square were up for almost anything. Take this typical exchange between Thomas Cherry and Charles Cobb.

Cherry: "You Damn puppy."

Cobb: "What are you?"

Cherry: "Do you mean to call me a Damn puppy?"

Cobb: "What are you?"

Cherry: "If you call me a Puppy, I will ag you in the face."

Cobb: "You are nothing else."

With that Cherry stabbed Cobb through the face with an umbrella.

"If we over in Edgefield insult each other, there is generally a fight or a funeral afterwards."

"If we over in Edgefield insult each other, there is generally a fight or a funeral afterwards," noted Ben Tillman, one of the ten men of the district to serve the state as governor. Like Tillman, circuit judge Thomas Mackey took an almost perverse pride in the region's reputation. "I am going to hold court in Edgefield," he told a friend, "and I expect a somewhat exciting term, as the fall shooting is about to start."

Like most reputations, Edgefield's was at once deserved and exaggerated. At 39 percent, Edgefield County does have the highest proportion of violent crimes in the CSI:D sample. At 35 percent, Greenville County is not that far behind. More important, Edgefield's reputation for affairs of honor masks the mountain of dishonorable violence revealed by the morgue. Men spoiling for a fight on the street are rarely much different at home. In June 1893, Bill Gasten was sitting near his wood pile when his wife emerged from the house to draw some water from the well. Something she said set him off and he grabbed up a walking stick, hit her with it, then threw her down and began choking her. Emerging from the kitchen, her sister grabbed up the stick and told Bill to "let his wife alone." She had just started back to the kitchen when Bill cracked her head with a hoe.

Edgefield County, SC Inquests

Displaying 201 - 250 of 524
Name Deceased Description Date Inquest Location Death Type Death Methodsort descending
Unknown August 30, 1866 at Fosity[?] Creek ford Unknown
Learma Butler November 7, 1890 at W.H. Folks plantation Natural Causes
Bartly negro man January 16, 1846 in the woods near the plantation of Dr Wm M Bent Unknown
John Young June 27, 1891 at the residence of John Young Accident
Peyton Bird colored September 29, 1869 at Edgefield CH Natural Causes
Cooper slave March 17, 1852 at the plantation of L.H. Mundy decd Natural Causes
Isaac Grimer December 10, 1868 at Jacobs Branch on the Spaun Church road Accident
infant child infant child November 17, 1891 at Mr M Toneys place Unknown
Rose negro woman Slave March 14, 1846 at Michael Longs Homicide
Joe slave, boy September 13, 1860 at the residence of D. M. Glover Homicide
Whit Terry October 19, 1894 J.K. Corleys Place Homicide
infant child infant child January 18, 1892 at the Plantation of L. G. Swearinger Accident
Rose three negro children October 2, 1846 at the house of Philip Brogden Homicide
Edward slave, boy October 22, 1858 at the residence of Wm Miller Natural Causes
William Samuel April 26, 1891 at Scima[?] Hill Church Homicide
Dudley Roundtree August 10, 1856 at the dwelling house of the late Dudley Roundtree Natural Causes
James Booth August 23, 1878 at E. C. House Homicide
W. T. Mathis November 11, 1897 at the Yeldell place Natural Causes
Robert slave, boy April 8, 1847 at Edward Hampton's Suicide
Dick male slave July 13, 1859 at Ted Scurrys residence Accident
Willie Toney March 26, 1899 at Edgefield Court House Homicide
Robert Johnston May 23, 1891 at Clarks Ferry below bridge on C. & G.[?] R R Accident
Esther Jeter April 17, 1893 at Huiets x Roads Accident
Edward Johnston December 26, 1892 at William Bushes Unknown
Thomas Rosseter[?] August 30, 1852 at Hamburg SC Accident
John Rufus Russell October 10, 1884 at John L Russell House Accident
Sallie Young December 8, 1890 at Mr A. F Broadwaters Plantation Accident
Lewis slave May 21, 1861 at S. H. Roggers Suicide
John M. Tillman May 6, 1860 at Mr J.A Tillmans Steam Mill Homicide
Lesthia Ridlehouse[Ridlehover?] January 5, 1892 at the Residence of Mrs Edny Mary Accident
Lilla Olophant female infant August 18, 1879 at Simpton[?] Pinns[?] Accident
Julia Mundy June 17, 1881 at Jas H Banknight Homicide
Jacob Horn February 25, 1866 at the hous of Jacob Horns Homicide
George Washington Crowder October 19, 1866 at Grannetville Accident
Edmond Price April 30, 1892 at Kennys Graveyard Unknown
Charles negro boy November 14, 1842 On Mr Thos Oliver's Plantation, at or near Said Oliver's residence Accident
Cesar Negro, negro boy July 7, 1843 at the house of Elijah Watson Homicide
Lizzie Darian child November 21, 1894 at Waldo Richardsons Accident
Sarah Lucas October 30, 1890 at Mr. M L Holson Accident
Henry negro man Slave August 21, 1850 at New Savannah in beach Island Accident
Joe infant negro August 26, 1860 at John Huiets Accident
Jack Taylor April 11, 1892 at the house of Hal[?] Miles Natural Causes
Pete slave October 31, 1864 at Liberty hill Unknown
John McManas December 4, 1883 at the Jail Accident
Joel Etheridge November 29, 1893 at Joel Etheridge Residence Unknown
Solomon negro man June 24, 1844 near the Mill of George A. McKee on Stevens Creek Accident
R. Mackgrath January 5, 1852 at the house of John Dobey Other
Lawrence Frazier child January 14, 1895 at D.B. Holingsworths Accident
James Leppard February 13, 1893 at F. M. Leppards Natural Causes
Will Collens October 20, 1894 at Gaines SC Homicide

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